Samantha Cruz
Discuss the use of one or more research methods of the brain and behaviour. COMPLETE
The biological approach to psychology allows for the investigation of human behaviour from a physiological
origin by taking into account one’s biology. Psychologists use many research methods when studying the role
of the brain in behaviour. Lab experiments are a common quantitative research method which allow for a
statistical approach. However, case studies are another research method used which is more qualitative and
holistic , allowing for deeper insight into the brain and behaviour.
Experiments are a research method which manipulate the independent variable (IV) to measure
It effect on the dependent variable (DV). Control for any outside factors which can influence the DV are taken
into account for as well. The isolation of variables allows for this research method to be the only one that can
establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Some characteristics of an experiment include: manipulating the DV
and having a control condition which is not exposed to the IV so this can be compared to the experimental
condition. Specifically, a lab experiment has the most control over extraneous variables, so there is little to no
influence of extraneous variables on the DV. A standardized procedure by using the same environment and
procedure increase reliability as there is easy replication and internal validity, but decreases external validity.
A study which uses a lab experiment to research the brain and behaviour was conducted by Passamonti and
Crockett. The aim was to investigate the role of serotonin in regulating emotion. On serotonin depletion day,
participants were given a mixture of low serotonin. They were then placed under a fMRI machine while
viewing faces with different emotions. The fMRI was used to show which brain areas would activate when
viewing the angry face in comparison to when looking at the other faces. This same procedure was repeated
again but with normal levels of serotonin. The researchers found that low serotonin weakened
communications between the amygdala and frontal lobe, especially in people who had a natural tendency to be
aggressive. This study suggests that low serotonin makes it more difficult for the prefrontal cortex to regulate
emotional responses, thus and individual evokes anger. Overall, this study highlights the strength of how
quantitative measures are useful when studying the brain and behaviour.
Passamonti and Crockett’s study was able to establish a correlational relationship between low serotonin and
emotion as a fMRI was used to measure this. However, this lab experiment used a control condition, clearly
highlighting this relationship as easy comparisons could be made between the normal and low levels of
serotonin brain activity. However, the isolation of control variables makes the research setting very artificial as
viewing images of faces while being measures by a fMRI is not a situation which would be encountered in real-
life. In addition, this environment could lead to demand characteristics and reactivity effects if the participants
figured out the aim of the study, thus decreasing validity of results. The quantitative nature of lab experiments
allows for statistical analysis later once experimentation is over. This means the researchers can further
evaluate the brain activity and use different numerical tests to look at its statistical significance.
Another research method is a case study. Case studies look at a real-life phenomenon in a natural context
using a variety of research methods and a small sample which has a unique characteristic. Case studies are
appropriate for how and why questions, when the context is the phenomenon, and when there is no clear
boundaries between the context and the phenomenon.
Feinstein et al. used a case study to investigate the role of the amygdala in fear processing. SM had a rare
genetic disorder where she had lesions in her amygdalas and frontal lobes. The researchers exposed her to
fearful situations to observe how she would react to things such as live snakes and spiders. Interviews were
also conducted to understand why SM reacted the way she did. It was found that due to SM’s unique bilateral
amygdala lesions, she could no longer experience biological fear. Her reasoning for picking up the animals
instead of being fearful of them was due to “curiosity”. The researchers concluded that the fear conditioning is
Discuss the use of one or more research methods of the brain and behaviour. COMPLETE
The biological approach to psychology allows for the investigation of human behaviour from a physiological
origin by taking into account one’s biology. Psychologists use many research methods when studying the role
of the brain in behaviour. Lab experiments are a common quantitative research method which allow for a
statistical approach. However, case studies are another research method used which is more qualitative and
holistic , allowing for deeper insight into the brain and behaviour.
Experiments are a research method which manipulate the independent variable (IV) to measure
It effect on the dependent variable (DV). Control for any outside factors which can influence the DV are taken
into account for as well. The isolation of variables allows for this research method to be the only one that can
establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Some characteristics of an experiment include: manipulating the DV
and having a control condition which is not exposed to the IV so this can be compared to the experimental
condition. Specifically, a lab experiment has the most control over extraneous variables, so there is little to no
influence of extraneous variables on the DV. A standardized procedure by using the same environment and
procedure increase reliability as there is easy replication and internal validity, but decreases external validity.
A study which uses a lab experiment to research the brain and behaviour was conducted by Passamonti and
Crockett. The aim was to investigate the role of serotonin in regulating emotion. On serotonin depletion day,
participants were given a mixture of low serotonin. They were then placed under a fMRI machine while
viewing faces with different emotions. The fMRI was used to show which brain areas would activate when
viewing the angry face in comparison to when looking at the other faces. This same procedure was repeated
again but with normal levels of serotonin. The researchers found that low serotonin weakened
communications between the amygdala and frontal lobe, especially in people who had a natural tendency to be
aggressive. This study suggests that low serotonin makes it more difficult for the prefrontal cortex to regulate
emotional responses, thus and individual evokes anger. Overall, this study highlights the strength of how
quantitative measures are useful when studying the brain and behaviour.
Passamonti and Crockett’s study was able to establish a correlational relationship between low serotonin and
emotion as a fMRI was used to measure this. However, this lab experiment used a control condition, clearly
highlighting this relationship as easy comparisons could be made between the normal and low levels of
serotonin brain activity. However, the isolation of control variables makes the research setting very artificial as
viewing images of faces while being measures by a fMRI is not a situation which would be encountered in real-
life. In addition, this environment could lead to demand characteristics and reactivity effects if the participants
figured out the aim of the study, thus decreasing validity of results. The quantitative nature of lab experiments
allows for statistical analysis later once experimentation is over. This means the researchers can further
evaluate the brain activity and use different numerical tests to look at its statistical significance.
Another research method is a case study. Case studies look at a real-life phenomenon in a natural context
using a variety of research methods and a small sample which has a unique characteristic. Case studies are
appropriate for how and why questions, when the context is the phenomenon, and when there is no clear
boundaries between the context and the phenomenon.
Feinstein et al. used a case study to investigate the role of the amygdala in fear processing. SM had a rare
genetic disorder where she had lesions in her amygdalas and frontal lobes. The researchers exposed her to
fearful situations to observe how she would react to things such as live snakes and spiders. Interviews were
also conducted to understand why SM reacted the way she did. It was found that due to SM’s unique bilateral
amygdala lesions, she could no longer experience biological fear. Her reasoning for picking up the animals
instead of being fearful of them was due to “curiosity”. The researchers concluded that the fear conditioning is
